Optical properties of extreme tellurium nanowires formed in subnanometer-diameter channels

Single tellurium (Te) chains attract much attention as extreme nanowires with unique electronic and spintronic properties. Here, we encapsulate Te from a melt into channels of zeolites AFI (∼0.73 nm-channel diameter) and mordenite (MOR, ∼0.67 × 0.7 nm² channel cross-section) via high-pressure injection. Using polarized Raman and optical absorption spectra (RS and OAS) of zeolite single crystals with Te (AFI-Te and MOR-Te), we discriminate between features of Te chains and rings formed in the zeolites. We demonstrate good agreement of AFI-Te-chain RS and OAS with the calculated single Te-helix phonon and electron spectra. This suggests a very weak interaction of the AFI-Te-chain with the zeolite and its nearly perfect helix structure lacking inversion/mirror symmetry. An AFI-Te OAS feature, attributed to the electron transitions between Te-helix-Rashba-split valence and conduction bands confirms its 1D-electron-band origin with predicted possibilities of identifying Majorana fermions, manipulating spin transport and realizing topological superconductivity.